Sick and tired of Forward Slide Serrations

[Marko Kloos]

I don't like them because they tend to tear up the inside of leather holsters. Alas, both my current 1911s have the forward serrations, so the inside of my DeSantis Inner Piece looks a bit frayed. Unfortunately, the feature set I wanted wasn't available without forward serrations, and I don't have the green to get a Springfield Professional without the serrations. I could always get a Springfield Mil-Spec, but then I'd have to blow about $400 to get the gun up to the feature set I want.

 

[El Tejon]

Well, leave it to El Tejon to quash a perfectly good rant, but: Long live the FSSs!!!

Not mandatory, but an extremely practical option. Especially when hands are sweaty, bloody, slick with snot, etc.

El Tejon, firmly in the function over form camp.

 

[Dorrin79]

George -

One thing to keep in mind is that there are two different SA MilSpecs.

The "Standard" Milspec has 'real' 3-dot sights and a couple of other 'improvements' (thats what I have)

The "GI Milspec" is the model with the tiny GI 'sights' and all the other kosher features.

 

[Shmackey]

I hate 'em. They're a dealbreaker for me at this point.

For the love of Pete - does ANYONE worthwhile make a 1911 GM without Forward Slide Serrations?

Colt. Their NRM Series 80s and the Series 70 repros are the best thing going right now. As for wanting a swoopy beavertail, well, it's easier to put one on than it is to take the serrations off.

Besides, one day you'll realize that the beavertail is almost as goofy as the serrations.

 

[Goldendog]

There are a lot of things in this world that really bug me.
The grooves on the front of a slide, not so much.

MF

 

[Harold Mayo]

Wish List item #438:

I wish that Springfield Armory would make a "Loaded" package gun in .38 Super and without the forward cocking serrations.

<holds wish list item #438 in one hand and waits for the other to fill up with something...

 

[Bill Hook]

I hate them too, on any gun, but especially 1911s. If they were supposed to have them, JMB would've put them there.

 

[G1FAL]

What about the Rock Island 1911's? From the people I've talked to, they're good guns, and good to build on if you decide to change anything out. IIRC, they dont have the forward serrations.

 

[BluesBear]

George I agree with you 100% !

I'll never own a pistol with either those FUGLY serrations or one of those inane full length rods.

If you can't grasp the rear serrations, what makes you think you can grasp the front ones? If your hands are so bloody or sweaty that you feel a need to press check then something has already gone terribly wrong.

When I load my Colt I KNOW whether there is a round in the chamber or not. (It ain't rocket surgery folks)

If you harbor any doubts as to the ability of either yourself or your pistol to properly chamber a round perhaps you need a different weapon?

 

[Martini13]

FSS/FCS

:banghead: Hate the foolish things. I agree with ALL of the negative comments. It seems as though some smart mfg. will pick up on this thread and offer W/O as an option.

 

[Rich in VA]

When I see a slide without them, I ask myself where my 10 line file is.

They sure are nice with a big ol' fat set of Swensons on the gun....... Oh, sorry, JMB didn't have access to those, either, so I guess they are forbidden, just like non-GI (fill in your after market part here) stuff on your gun. Not too many folks shooting bone stock, out of the box mil-spec guns out there. For those that do, make sure you only use GI mags and ball ammo. You might want to get one of those really cool looking campaign hats, too, just to be authentic. Don't forget the flap holster.

(sarcastic/facetious mode off)

Personally, I think it feels strange to rack a slide from the rear.

One great thing about 1911's is the ability to customize them to our own tastes. To each his own. Lots of folks selling slides without them.

A very Merry Christmas to all!!

Rich ( I like FLGR's, too) in VA

 

[wildehond]

I do not like the FSS.

1 - They eat your leather holsters.

2 - More places for rust to form without you knowing about it. I prefer steel handguns.

I check the chamber by using the back slide serrations. Then I can check the chamber and I can see where the muzzle of the gun is pointing.

It is just my way of doing it. It works for me. If you like FSS all power to you.

wildehond

 

[Sarge111]

I'm with George...

make mine smooth on the front.

 

[Ryder]

You tell em George!

I've not found an empty chamber either. I have used the rear serrations in the past but nowadays I just check the mag. If it's charged then so is my chamber. This has an added benefit of verifying the load I am carrying.

 

[FPrice]

"LEAVE THE SLIDE ALONE!"

I agree George.

To quote (I think) Jeff Cooper from another subject.

"It is a solution for which there was no problem."

 

[mattk]

I hate them. Oh do I hate them. They are to me useless. And I am a gameboy. Big time gameboy. I currently own 1 1911with them and I am thinking about selling it.
Did I mention that I hate them. I mean like you hate that ex girlfriend who cheated on you hate.

 

[Mute]

I do not like them on a slide

I do not like them when I ride

I do not like them in on a gun

I do not think they are much fun

I do not like them for press checks

They still keep making them, what the heck

I do not like them stainless or blue

I do not like them hard chromed too

I do not like them in my hand

I do not like them on my night stand

I do not like them come 'round dawn

I think they are Satan's spawn

I do not think they are worth a damn

I do not like them George I am.

 

[Majic]

They should have made them an option instead of standard equipment. I bet you wouldn't see many FSS if they were optional and people had to actually ask for them.

 

[BluesBear]

It's real easy to just watch it when I load it. Kinda hard to miss those big honkin' shiny brass badboys jump into the chamber. (always brings a smile to my face) And unless you have never done it before you can HEAR the difference in the sound of a round feeding and a slide slamming home empty.

Besides all of my Colts have a loaded chamber indicator anyway.
All I have to do is look.

 

[45auto]

My 1911's don't have them and I press check using the "front serration" method.
My hands don't slip off the slide, but I don't use heavy springs or shoot with gloves. I can see them being functional for some.

I'm trying to break the habit of "pinch checking" which is the easiest, I think, but probably not one I would want to teach the youngsters.

But I do agree with George, I just can't understand a Kimber or Springfield not offering a rear serrations only as another standard model. They have about 40 models each now , what's another 2 or 3.

Colt still sells a fair amount of guns, and I think part of their sales is not only that it's a "Colt"( for some), or that they are building good guns now( I think), but they offer a rear serration, polished blue 1911...period.

 

[SAWBONES]

Forward grasping grooves
"Full-length" guide rods
Two-tone color schemes

...are my pet peeves on 1911s. I hate them all. I've said all this before, many times, but since this is a new thread, I'll add my $.02...

Not one of those things is needful, helpful, attractive (IMNSHO) or necessary.
They're all examples of "gun fashion".

We know how some of them came about; the front serrations (like extended cocking handles on AR15s) were developed to accomodate slide manipulation with guns that had scope mounting hardware which obscured the rear grasping grooves, while the two-tone color schemes came about in early IPSC with folks who would hard-chrome the receiver to improve wear resistance there, but left the slide blued to minimize glare when sighting. Long recoil guide rods never did have a bona fide justification for existing in 1911s, and still don't, but they became common on IPSC guns in the '80s.

Some people who were easily influenced (IPSC wannabe groupies, that is), thought these things must be "cool" because "all the top shooters" (in IPSC, that is) had them, therefore these STUPID USELESS FEATURES became "fashionable", even though they served no purpose on a CCW or "real life" gun!
A further annoyance is that some of the features have been perverted (eg, two tone guns with white slides and dark frames, opposite the original pattern which had at least some purpose in a competition gun which shot 100,000 rounds a month).

All the new fullsize 1911s seem to be released with these fasion-trendy features as a matter of routine now! Screw 'em.

 

[chevrofreak]

you 1911 guys have issues

 

[George Hill]

Whoa... wait a sec. I LOVE two toned finishes.
The Dark slide over a light colored frame is AWESOME. I love it. However when the two tones are reversed - then I don't like them even if that scheme may be more practical from a wear mark point of view.

 

[horge]

While we're at it...

I don't think they can properly be called serrations (something I've done in the past as an act of conformity). Serration is descriptive of an edge the way a saw edge is serrate, or a jagged knife edge is serrate. "Grooves", "ribbing" or "reeding" seem to come closer for a flat surface.


I'm not an experienced pistoleer at all, and do not own a 1911.
However, FSM (front slide mutilation, hehe) turns me off on aesthetic grounds. A GI 1911 looks fine as is.

Besides, can't you manage a "press-check" on an original 1911 slide?

 

[Kodiak AK]

Mute that was great.
As to the question , where to get them has already been answeared . I personaly don't care if a gun has them or not .